TACLOBAN CITY – Local government units are given until March to complete all the P2.52 billion projects meant for the rehabilitation of facilities damaged by super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ or else funds will be reverted back to the central government.
Regional Director Maribel Sacendoncillo of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)-Eastern Visayas said on Thursday that all bottlenecks have been addressed in a recent meeting with local officials, as they committed to finish all projects within the first quarter of 2018.
As of the end of 2017, at least 229 Recovery Assistance on Yolanda (RAY) projects are still ongoing and 145 have not yet started out of the 2,287 projects implemented in three phases since 2014.
A big majority or 1,1817 projects are already done.
“All these projects must have to be completed by March 2018 otherwise money will be returned to the national treasury. There’s no other option,” the DILG regional chief warned.
Among the cause of delays are the late submission of revised detailed engineering designs documents, realignment of unutilized funds, land, and right of way acquisition issues, partially damaged buildings were used by other government offices, procurement delays, among others.
“The most serious was political differences between the mayor and members of the town council. The local legislative branch refused to issue an authority to the mayor to enter an agreement with DILG. We have to intervene to address this concern,” Sacendoncillo explained.
Of the P2.52 billion allotment for RAY projects, P934 million were released for phase 1 (144 projects), P995.05 million for phase 2 (1,652 projects), and P592.63 million for phase 3 (491 projects).
Under the first batch, the national government had invested for the repair of buildings owned by 61 towns and city governments along the super typhoon Yolanda’s path in Eastern Visayas region.
The second batch was focused on the rebuilding of village facilities.
The third batch funded the repair of halls of justice, public terminals, community centers, and spill over projects under the first two phases.
RAY is the government’s strategic plan to guide the recovery and reconstruction of the economy, lives, and livelihoods in the affected areas of the 2013 monster typhoon.
The objective of the plan is to restore the economic and social conditions of these areas at the very least to their pre-typhoon levels and to a higher level of disaster resilience.
(SARWELL Q. MENIANO/PNA)

TACLOBAN CITY-(CIO) — Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez visited Barangay 106-Sto. Niño on Wednesday, for the conduct of the highly popular outreach program of the city government — the Barangayan.
Mayor Romualdez mingled with residents from nearby permanent housing projects in the area such as New Hope, GMA Kapuso Village, Habitat, and St. Francis, which availed of free services like hair cutting, feeding for malnourished kids, and other frontline city government services.
Doctors and medical personnel from the City Health Office also conducted medical consultations and dispensed free medicines during the Barangayan.
Hygiene kits and mosquito nets were also distributed by the City Social Welfare and Development Office to the residents during the half-day Barangayan.
Other city departments which brought their services to the outreach program were the Public Employment and Services Office (PESO), City Cooperative office and the City Veterinary Office (CVO) which conducted free dog vaccination, as part of its anti-rabies campaign.
The Barangayan which brings much-needed social services to far-flung is a priority program of Mayor Romualdez.
(HENRY JAMES ROCA)

TACLOBAN CITY- The regional office of the National Food Authority (NFA) in the region reported that its stock of rice is now only good for two days.
However, Raymund Tafalla, assistant regional manager of NFA-8, said that there is nothing to be worried about on their low supply saying that there is more than enough of commercial rice in the market for consumers to buy.
He said that NFA-milled rice only consists about 2 percent of the regional household consumption.
“Our role is just to ensure that there is a stability of rice supply. Right now, while we have a supply of rice of just 64,000 bags which is just enough for two days assuming that all rice supplies will be procured from NFA, there are more than enough of commercial rice available in the market,” Tafalla said.
He also added that due to the series of flooding and bad weather that hit the region, their focus now is to ensure that there are available NFA rice that they could distribute to the affected areas once needed.
Just last month, about 14,000 bags of NFA rice were distributed to different areas in the region hit by the massive flooding spawned by tropical storm ‘Agaton.’
According to Tafalla, as of last month, Eastern Visayas has more than 967,000 bags household consumption of rice of which there were more than 1.73 million bags of commercial rice available.
But still, due to their low supply, NFA-accredited retailers are now only allowed to procure 2 to 5 bags from the previous 20 to 30 bags.
“We have also asked our rice retailers not to increase their prices as we still have enough supply of commercial rice. There is nothing to worry about,” Tafalla said.
At present, a kilogram of NFA rice is at P27.00.
Evangeline Herrera, 58 and a rice retailer at the Tacloban city public market confirmed of lack of NFA-supplied rice.
“We have not procured NFA rice since last week due to low of supply. What we have now are more of commercial rice,” she said.
She, however, admitted that because of the natural calamities like flooding and typhoons that hit the region recently, prices of rice per bag has gone up.
Thus, she said, she was compelled to increase her prices to earn.
She said that she increased by P5 of the rice she sells.
“Some of our customers complained about the increased price but we cannot do anything because we bought our supplies at a higher price,” Herrera said.
She said that the previous P1,950 per bag, she now gets her supplies from her suppliers at P2,050 per bags.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)

HINABANGAN, Samar- While he is offering peace to the communist group, Col. Alex Luna, commanding officer of the 801st Infantry Brigade, based this town, said that he is committed to ‘finish off’ the outlawed group that has been tormenting the public for half a century now.
Luna, whose areas cover the provinces of Samar and Eastern Samar which are among the hotbeds of the communist insurgency in the region, said that he is offering peace to the members of the New People’s Army and for them to avail programs of the government as they return to the folds of the law.
He added that they are doing some peace-making activities that would eventually encourage the NPA members to abandon their armed fight against government forces.
“Our main job here is to hold peace in some precarious areas and humanitarian services. However, if we see any armed activity in some areas, we will surely act to stop it. But if we do not see anything, we can’t act against it,” Luna said.
“Our effort to dismantle local rebels must continue,” he added.
According to Luna, a big part of their peacekeeping effort involves gaining the trust and respect of the villagers.
Colonel Luna calls on rebels to be partners for real change for the betterment of the country and the lives of people.
Meantime, as peace talks bogged down, Luna said that he is open to the idea of having localized peace talks.
He assured those who will lay down their arms will be provided of their needs to help them return to the mainstream society.
“Marami na ang ayaw mag-NPA.A lot of them wanted to go back to mainstream society at maging normal buhay nila, sila ang gusto kung tulungan,” Luna said.
The Department of Interior and Local Government is providing assistance to former rebels under its Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP).
CLIP is a national reintegration program for local rebels aimed for a permanent and peaceful closure of the armed conflict.
An immediate assistance amounting to P15,000 is given to former rebels for mobilization expenses while their enrolment to the program is being processed.
Aside from that, a livelihood assistance in the amount of P50,000 is also given to them.
(JAZMIN BONIFACIO)

TACLOBAN CITY- A soldier and a woman were among the arrested individuals during separate buy-bust operations conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and anti-illegal drug unit of the Philippine National Police in Leyte.
Arrested were Janice Pacomo, 35; Joseph Reazon, 31; and Jerry Delgado, a soldier, who are all now detained at the detention center of the PDEA-8.
In his report to PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino, PDEA Regional Director Edgar T. Jubay, said that the separate buy-bust operations resulted in the seizure of nine sachets of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of P11,500.
Seized from Pacomo during the sting operation in Barangay 91 at about 2:30 pm last February 5, were five sachets of shabu valued at P5,000 weighing 1.0 grams while same weigh of shabu was confiscated from Reazon during a separate buy-bust operation at San Roque, Alangalang, Leyte of the same day.
Another buy-bust operation conducted by the PDEA personnel together with the anti-illegal drug unit of the PNP-Leyte of Feb.5 resulted in the arrest of Delgado, 53 and identified to be a soldier.
Delgado, a resident of Sagkahan district, this city, was arrested in the vicinity of Borderline, a hotel located in Barangay Pawing, Palo town.
Confiscated from the suspect were three sachets of shabu weighing 0.3 grams valued at P1,500.
All suspects were charged with illegal possession and selling of an illegal drug. (PR)

CALBAYOG CITY- Tacloban City Mayor Cristina Romualdez was in the city to personally give her moral support to the young athletes from the city who joined this year’s Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Association (EVRAA) Meet held here.
Mayor Romualdez attended the opening rites of the EVRAA 2018 held at the grounds of the Northwest Samar State University together with other officials of the region.
She was welcomed by Calbayog City Mayor Ronaldo Aquino and Samar Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento.
“My presence (here) is to boost the fighting spirit of our Tacloban athletes that they give their best in said EVRAA sports competition,” she said.
Mayor Romualdez likewise wished all the delegates representing the different provinces and cities of the region to aspire for the championship awards.
The Tacloban city mayor is also the regional chair of the Regional Development Council. (GAY B. GASPAY, TISAT Media Bureau)